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Chapter 53: The Gilded Scarab
🕑 Added 2025-08-16 00:47:43 +0000 UTCFriday morning began with an atmosphere brighter than ever before. Soft sunlight streamed through the large living room windows, bathing the furniture and polished wooden floors in a sparkling glow. The rich aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee, brewed by Damian, wafted through the house, replacing the musty smell of beer and the depression that had lingered for months.
Owen walked out of the kitchen in a comfortable, casual outfit, a steaming cup of black coffee in his hand. He stepped into the living room and couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
The image of Damian sitting cross-legged on the sofa, calmly sipping black coffee, was the new Damian. He was in a perfectly tailored, dark business suit, reading business news on a tablet, as if the image of the brilliant CEO from the past had returned.
Seeing Owen walk in, he put down his tablet and smiled confidently. "Morning, my friend. Today, I really feel like I'm back to being myself again."
"I'm glad to see you like this again," Owen replied. He sat down on the opposite sofa, feeling the positive energy radiating from his friend.
Not long after, Clara entered the room. She was in a comfortable, casual outfit that was still alluringly charming. A beige, V-neck, off-the-shoulder long-sleeved shirt and a short, tight-fitting black skirt, which beautifully accentuated her voluptuous proportions and curves.
Owen secretly watched her walk in with a smile. Ever since the income from their joint OnlyStar venture had skyrocketed, Clara had decided to quit her full-time job at Grandma Alice's flower shop to become a full-time housewife again, though she would stop by to help out at the shop once a week to visit her.
She walked straight to Damian with a bright smile, gently adjusting his dark blue tie before leaning down to give him a big kiss on the cheek. "Do your best on your first day, my love!"
Then, while Damian was still sitting there with a happy smile, she turned to Owen, who was sitting nearby. "You too, Owen. You do your best today."
And then she leaned down and gave him a quick, discreet peck on the cheek. It looked like an encouraging gesture for a close friend who had helped her family, but for Owen, he felt a deeper meaning… The faint, seductive scent of her perfume and the touch of her lips lingering on his cheek for just a split second was a secret greeting between the two of them. It was a reaffirmation of the sweet taste she had experienced in the bathroom the other day.
Damian watched the scene with a smile, not suspecting a thing. He was instead grateful that his wife was so fond of and encouraging to his best friend. "I'm heading to work now, my love," he said, bidding farewell to his wife and Owen, before walking out of the house with a brisk and hopeful stride.
After Damian left, the living room fell silent for a moment. Clara and Owen met each other's eyes, her gaze sparkling with a playful and challenging look, before she walked into the kitchen, humming cheerfully, leaving Owen to sip his coffee and watch the news alone.
The mission to help his friend had ended beautifully. And now, it was time for him to get serious about Alex's mission… the mission to make Victoria fall in love with him.
After finishing his coffee, Owen put the cup down on the table. The warm, comfortable atmosphere of breakfast slowly faded, replaced by a complete focus. He walked back to his room, which was like his private command center, before closing and locking the door securely. The soft click of the lock completely cut him off from the outside world.
He walked to his desk, slid his keyboard and gaming mousepad to the side, and took out a brown document folder from a drawer. It was the information file on Victoria that Anya had given him. He opened it slowly, the cold, emotionless smell of paper drifting up to his nose.
The light from his desk lamp shone down on the documents, which were filled with photos and in-depth information. Owen began to study the information meticulously once again. This time, he wasn't just skimming; he was building a psychological profile of his target in his head.
His eyes scanned her personal information before stopping at the "Awakened Status" section.
'Interesting…' he thought, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk. '…A Control-Type Awakened with an "A-Rank Telekinesis" ability, but due to her nature of disliking training and combat, her overall Awakened Rank is only C, even though she has a very high amount of mana… A talented but lazy princess, I see.'
This information made him even more confident. She had power but didn't know how to use it to its full potential, unlike Nova, who trained her body every day until she was stronger than her own innate power. Victoria was a queen sitting on an ivory throne, but without a strong army.
He scanned the list of her favorite brand names, the types of art she collected, the names of her friends in high society, and most importantly, her almost unchanging daily routine, until he found the key piece of information that solidified his plan.
"Victoria Ashford is an honorary member of the 'Titans' Oasis Country Club' and often appears there to play golf every Saturday morning, without fail."
A cold smirk appeared on Owen’s lips. He had found the perfect infiltration route. It wasn't just about approaching her, but about invading her battlefield directly, where social status and image were the most important weapons. He closed the folder with a loud "THUD." The decision was made.
He stood to his full height. He knew that to enter her world, he first needed the proper "uniform." He grabbed his wallet and the key to his SUV.
"Time to go shopping, I guess," he mumbled to himself.
But he wouldn't go alone. Choosing clothes that would impress a woman like Victoria required a sharp eye and excellent taste… and he now had the most suitable person for the job.
Owen picked up his phone and dialed Jessica’s number. She picked up after just a few rings.
"Hello~ What is it, my love" her sweet, happy voice came from the other end of the line.
"Jessica… I have an urgent matter that needs my personal secretary’s help. Are you free? I'll come pick you up at your apartment," he said in a natural tone.
"For my master… I’m always free," she replied in a teasing voice laced with suggestion, before adding, "Drive safe~"
Owen smiled, then drove off to pick up his important assistant for this mission.
…..
Owen parked his SUV in front of the apartment building where Jessica lived. He called to let her know he had arrived and was waiting downstairs.
Not long after, the main entrance opened, and Jessica’s form appeared in a cream-colored casual dress that accentuated her fair skin and beautiful figure. She walked straight to the car with a bright smile, but instead of opening the passenger door, she quickly opened the driver’s side door where Owen was sitting.
Before he could even greet her, she leaned into the car quickly, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her red-lipsticked lips against his in a deep, passionate kiss.
"Mmmm~ Smooch~"
It was a kiss full of longing and desire. Her hot tongue bravely slipped into his mouth, chasing and tangling with his hungrily. Owen responded just as fiercely, one of his hands moving up to cup the back of her head, pressing her in for a deeper, more intimate kiss.
When she slowly pulled her lips away, a thin string of saliva connected them before breaking off regretfully.
"I missed you so much… Master," she whispered hoarsely, before pulling away and walking around to get into the passenger side, her face flushed, leaving Owen smiling with her sweet taste still on his lips.
As the car pulled away from the apartment, the once-hot atmosphere slowly changed. Jessica turned to look at him, her sweet smile gone, replaced by the serious expression of a secretary about to start her work.
"My love… before we go run your errand, we need to talk about something first."
"What is it?" Owen raised an eyebrow, curious.
"Your finances," she said, pulling out her own tablet. "I spent last night reviewing the accounts you sent me… and I have to say, it’s rather worrying…"
She zoomed in on an expense graph. "You're the type who likes to spend large sums of money without thinking, aren't you? Like that camera… You bought it when your income wasn't even twenty thousand. And this car, too. Even if it was necessary, your finances weren't stable at the time. You could have just waited another month for the OnlyStar income to come in so your account wouldn't be so at risk."
She continued without stopping. "And that's not including all the miscellaneous expenses… especially the money you spend on in-game purchases. That’s the real culprit…"
Hearing Jessica’s lecture, Owen’s face went pale and sweat beaded on his forehead. He felt like he was shrinking smaller and smaller, while Jessica’s form began to grow terrifyingly large. He had never seen this side of Jessica before, and he had to admit, it was both formidable and sexy at the same time. But to avoid being called out any further, he quickly changed the subject to deflect.
"Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll be more careful, Ms. Secretary," he quickly cut her off. "The reason I called you today is because I have an important job I need your help with." He changed his tone to be a little more serious.
He began to briefly explain the mission to get close to Victoria, that his goal was to infiltrate high society to build a relationship with her, and that the most important first step was to create the perfect "image." That's why he needed a woman with taste and a sharp eye like her to help, as his "personal stylist" for this mission.
Jessica listened intently, her expression changing from a nagging secretary to a professional planner in an instant. She was excited and proud to be trusted to take part in his important mission. "So you’re saying… we’re going on a major shopping spree?" she smiled knowingly.
"Exactly," Owen smiled back. "And I need you to choose the best… without worrying about the price… Well, maybe you should worry a little bit…" he said hesitantly, thinking of the money in his pocket.
Those words made Jessica’s eyes sparkle. She let out a soft laugh. "So you want the person who just scolded you about your spending to help you burn through a large sum of money? Absolutely, Master… This is what I do best!"
…..
Their SUV turned into the parking lot of the largest shopping mall in Titan City. The atmosphere around them changed completely the moment the large glass doors slid open to welcome them. Cool air, filled with the scent of expensive perfume, replaced the heat of the big city. The soft sound of classical music played, mingling with the sound of footsteps on the polished marble floor. Everything indicated wealth and class.
"If we’re going to infiltrate the country club, we have to dress like the people in it," Jessica said as she confidently led Owen. She linked her arm with his naturally, in the role of a perfect personal secretary and wife.
Jessica led Owen straight to the brand-name clothing section, before both their eyes were drawn to the largest and most opulent boutique on the floor. It was a shop luxuriously decorated in a gold and pitch-black color scheme. The name of the shop was elegantly engraved in golden letters: "The Gilded Scarab."
"And this… is the best shop!" she whispered.
As they were about to step inside, they were stopped by a sharp voice, full of authority and frustration, coming from within.
"No! No! No! That scarf is not meant to be just 'wrapped,' darling! It must be 'draped' like the wind! Make it look like a perfect coincidence, not like a forgotten rag! Do it again, now!"
The owner of the voice was standing with her hands on her hips, energetically ordering her staff. She was a beautiful woman from the land of the pyramids, around 35 years old, in a tight-fitting white dress with gold trim that accentuated her honey-colored skin and her voluptuous figure, especially her massive, challenging, rounded buttocks. She had long, curly black hair in intricate braids, and sharp, dark brown eyes. She was scanning the displays in the shop with a critical gaze.
[Character Illustration: Sahara]
Owen stared at her and frowned with a sense of familiarity, before he remembered that he had seen her before. Her name was “Sahara,” the woman who had once clashed fiercely with Jez.
After dealing with her staff to her satisfaction, Sahara turned and saw Owen and Jessica, who had just stepped into the shop. Her sharp eyes narrowed slightly, assessing Owen’s attire from head to toe, before she walked straight towards them with the graceful gait of a queen.
“Welcome to my Gilded Scarab… No offense, but your outfit is a bit plain. A t-shirt and jeans? You have no fashion sense at all, darling~ You’re wasting your good figure,” she said bluntly, tapping Owen’s chest lightly with a finger, as if to test the firmness of his muscles.
“My name is Sahara. I’m the owner, and I will be the one to advise you on your clothes.”
Owen shrugged, unfazed by her criticism, because it was true. “I won’t argue… I’m not the type who’s interested in fashion. Uh… and a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Owen. And this is my personal secretary, Jessica.”
Hearing his frank admission, Sahara raised an eyebrow slightly before laughing with amusement. “Oh~ at least you admit you’re terrible at this, and you’re not mad at a mouthy woman like me. Many of my clients don’t like it when I tell them the truth about their fashion. But who cares? This is my shop. I can sell or not sell to whomever I please.”
She glanced at Jessica for a moment, assessing her, before turning back to Owen. “So, you tasteless gentleman, is there any clothing you’d like to buy?”
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